Broken Things
by Squidly
Summary: Set 3 weeks after "As I Lay Dying." Follow Damon and Elena as they grow closer than ever, having been united by a common goal: Finding Stefen. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Helloooo fellow TVD worshippers! I'm going to keep this short but I'll start off by saying THANKS FOR READING! This is my first FanFic so as always, please be gentle with your critiques. I do have more to say but for now, I will let you get to the story. If you like it, I will see you again at the bottom of the page! ENJOY! **

**...**

It had been 3 weeks since that night. That night when everything changed.

Though Damon's recovery took more time than expected, his condition started to improve right after Katherine had left. The wound left by Tyler's bite had healed right away; all that was left now was a slight darkening of the veins surrounding the phantom bite. This, it seemed, would forever serve as a tiny reminder that Damon Salvator, was in fact not invincible. Though he often still felt weak and almost faint if he didn't feed right away, the most prominent reminder of his ordeal was his lack of what he would call "sass." He took everything more seriously now. He watched every sunset as if it was his last. He sipped every glass of Brandy as though it was the finest delicacy. He viewed every twitch of her lips as though it was the last time she would ever speak to him.

"Damon." She said.

When he didn't answer, she wasn't surprised. Since he was cured she had noticed a constant lucid expression on his face. If they were deep in conversation, he hung on her every word; paid attention to the smallest details. If she was addressing him for the first time of the day, he would watch her approach with the utmost respect and appreciation. But there was always that same expression, one as though he were sleepwalking. Body and mind present, but soul absent.

"Damon." She said again, more stern this time. His eyes suddenly flickered to life as though he was hearing her for the first time.

"Elena.." He cleared his throat; a small smile appearing on his lips. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I did thank you. Have you watched the news at all this morning?" She walked past him into the living room; trying not to drag her feet. She stayed up all night again, he thought. She kept a constant watch on the state of the world. Listening for massacres she hoped wouldn't come. The night he disappeared, Elena must have sent 20 text messages. Once it occurred to her that his silence might not be a product of Klaus's isolation but rather that of ignorance; she sent a single plea. "Stefen. Please." And what she received back couldn't have been any clearer. "Correction: Ripper. I left "Stefen" in Mystic Falls." And that was the last she had heard from him.

After showing Damon the text; they had both agreed to keep an eye out for any hints as to where they might be or where they were headed next. Katherine had disappeared completely. It was safe to assume she was with them. She may have loose ties and bounties on her head all over the world but as long as she was on team Klaus, no one could touch her. Katherine was a perfect example of how it paid to have friends in high places.

"No Elena. The news is on at 7. It's 6:45. Cool your shit." This was his sad attempt at provoking a laugh out of her. When she didn't respond, he turned towards the kitchen. "I'm going to get a blood bag, you want something?"

She waved her hand in response; clearly not concerned with breakfast. "I know but that's the local news. I'm talking country wide." She started flipping through the Salvator's small selection of channels. "Don't you guys have more than like, 4 channels here? I can't find National News anywhere."

This is how their conversations played out. Neither one of them had mentioned what had happened between them the night of Stefen's disappearance. Damon had assumed Elena's kiss what an act of pity. Her silence was proof to him that her actions were a product of the assumption that he was a goner. Since the kiss, he extinguished any hope that they could be together. Though he did often get caught up in their moments together, he had to stay focused. He had a brother to find; and though he had to keep his guard up to pretend he wasn't hurt by her avoidance, he understood: She had a Stefen to find too.

"Elena, I'm 171 years old. Stefen is 164. Why the hell would we need anything more than basic cable? If, in 171 years, I still haven't figured out that there are better things to than sit on my ass, watching TV..."

She cut him off. "You haven't had TV that long Damon."

He tried to retort, but came up empty handed. He hated it when people interrupted his rants; and it didn't help that he was already off his game. "Smartass..." He muttered under his breath.

She glanced at him sideways, smiling coyly. For a brief moment, he was caught in her gaze. They didn't have to acknowledge the kiss verbally to experience the connection it left behind. They had always had chemistry; a playful easiness that provided relief from the everyday chaos that had become their lives, but since that night, it had turned into an intensity that could silence them both with just one look. A knowing look; a snide look; a comforting look; no matter the look there was always a silent moment following that gave them both a chance to bask in each other's company.

Elena was always the first to smother the flames igniting between them. "You should come over." She looked at the floor when she said this. "Your TV is useless to our purpose and I am sort of hungry. I highly doubt you have anything in that fridge aside from the orange juice I put in there weeks ago to tie me over till lunch."

"Can I finish MY breakfast first?" He gestured to the bag of half empty blood in his hands.

Elena considered this. "Why don't you just bring it? It's not like we need to convince anyone at home that you're drinking a bag of red Fanta, or, not anymore at least." Remembering Jenna, she looked 10 years older; but just as fast as the expression appeared, it disappeared; a reminder of her strength. "I don't mind. Just don't spill blood in my car."

"Oh Blasphemy! Not your car! Or sorry, not your SUV, MOM." He joked as he reached past her to grab his jacket.

"Yeah...laugh all you want. It gets me places. It got me HERE and it's going to get US back to MY house." She laughed, striding towards the door.

...

**Well there it is! I hope you're enjoying it so far. I know it may not seem like much right now but I assure you that I have big plans for this story. You know when you think of a key scene in your head, and you want to write it down but you want certain events to lead into it? Well yeah...that's what happened here. **

**I would really love some feedback here guys! As I said before, this is a first for me and I may already know where the story is going, but I do need some tips on the writing. Especially Damon's dialogue. Damn is he hard to write! I guess I'm just not that witty. LOL. **

**Thanks again guys! Chapter 2 is about to go up so you're not completely left hanging...**


	2. Chapter 2

**ANNNDDD we're back! Glad you chose to continue. This is where things get interesting...**

**...**

Damon felt a sudden chill walking into the Gilbert house. Where it came from, he didn't know; but there was a presence; and it was unnerving.

Elena walked past him into the living room, throwing her sweater on the back of the chair and going straight to the TV. When she turned it on, she started flipping through channels with the remote until she settled on one; obnoxious commercials blaring in between programming. As she turned around to head to the fridge, she realized Damon was still standing at the door with an uneasy expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" She knew instantly something was up. Damon's face didn't often display vulnerability.

"I don't know. Something just feels...off. Who's upstairs?"

"As far as I know it's just Jeremy. He's not usually up this early. Why? Should I go check on him?" She said, already heading towards the stairs.

"I think I should go, stay here, if that's Jeremy then he doesn't feel right." He started up. Despite what he said, she started up the stairs after him, two at a time. When they approached his room, Damon turned around, putting his finger to his lips and gesturing to her to be silent. Opening the door a few inches, he peered in. Elena was struggling to see something, anything over his shoulder when Damon let the door swing open all the way. The room was dark. Jeremy was sitting on his bed, back against the headboard. He was wearing a heavy sweater with the hood pulled up. It was then that Elena felt the chill.

"Jeremy, what the hell! Are you trying to send the gas bill through the roof? Shut the window!" As she took a step towards his window, she felt Damon's hand on her arm. Her movement had caused a beam of light from the hallway to fall over Jeremy's face.

He was pale, ghostly pale. There were circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept in weeks. There was a slight quiver to his body and he was turned to his right, like he was leaning away from something; a revolted expression on his face. Upon seeing this, Elena forgot about the window, which wasn't open anyways.

"Jer? Jer...you okay?" She walked towards him and sat on his bed. Damon wasn't far behind; he was crouching beside him now.

"Jeremy, hello?" He said. He reached out to grab his shoulder. Just as he touched him Jeremy's eyes suddenly registered recognition. He jumped a little, shocked to see them.

"Uh, hey guys." He looked around, seemingly confused. "Can I help you?"

"Jeremy why is it so freaking cold in here? Do you have a fever?" She reached up towards his forehead only to have him smack her hand away.

"I'm fine, I don't have a fever. And I just had my window open. I closed it like, right before you guys got here."

"Do you mind explaining the hypnotic state you were in just a moment ago?" Damon's eyes were all serious. He was uncomfortable here. There was something unnatural about this.

"It's nothing. I was sleeping... Can I have some privacy please? I'm super tired."

Elena was uneasy. Something wasn't right. She could feel it but she couldn't place it. She stood up, grabbing Damon by the back of his jacket before heading towards to door. Just before she closed the door, she turned around, catching one last glimpse of Jeremy on his bed. He was closing his eyes, his body still leaning to the right. What neither of them saw, was Vicky; sitting to Jeremy's left; whispering in his ear; begging him to join her.

...

After the initial shock of seeing Jeremy; Elena called Bonnie.

"Bonnie, hi." She paused, unsure of how to describe what she saw. "Where are you?"

"I'm just at the Lockwood mansion. Tyler is having a bit of an identity crisis, so Caroline called me over for some werewolf research fun. God, its summer break and you'd think we were at brain camp with all the reading we do."

"Would you be able to come over? Jeremy is..." Damon shook his head. "There's something wrong with Jeremy."

Bonnie didn't respond right away. After Jeremy was shot, he had kept up a constant stream of questions about the afterlife. She answered them as best she could; after all, she had died and been brought back too. She understood his sudden fascination with it. But still, the questions had gotten deeper and more macabre until there was total silence. Jeremy's that is. About a week prior, he had stopped talking to her all together. She had tried texting, calling. She had been to his house a number of times; leaving only when she was sure he was fine. She even tried inviting him to Tyler's that very day. But his silence was louder than any voices she'd ever heard. "Elena, I...I haven't spoken to Jeremy in a week. He's been avoiding me. I'm not too sure he wants to see me."

Damon, overhearing this; reached out for the phone. Elena gave it to him willingly. He knew how to be persuasive.

"Listen witch. Your boyfriend needs you. He's not in the best state right now and I don't think it's a mild case of depression or avoidance. There's something going on with him. The air around him doesn't feel right. It's like..." He tried to come up with words to describe what he had felt in Jeremy's room. Try as he might, it was indescribable. He could still feel it; even now as he and Elena stood on her front porch. "I dunno. I can't describe it. You'll understand when you get here."

Bonnie took in Damon's confused state. She understood almost right away because she knew that feeling all too well. She had felt it, mildly, when she went looking for Jeremy. She could feel his presence and another inside the house. Assuming it was Elena, she had left; hurt by Jeremy's cold shoulder but relieved he wasn't alone. However, there was still something eerie about the house. She had chalked it up to Jenna's absence. But now, listening to the urgency in Damon's voice, she could tell it had gotten worse. "Give me ten minutes." And with that, the line went dead.

Damon gave the phone back to Elena and they stood silent on the porch; neither of them wanting to walk back into the house. Through an open window, they could hear a female voice begin. "...And a story of tragedy this morning as Baltimore police investigate the mass killing of 15 teenagers in a group home just outside of the city limits..."

...

**HOORAHH! My first cliff hanger. Thanks for reading guys! I really value your support. As always, feedback is welcomed.**

**I'm in the middle of writing chapter 3 right now so it won't be up as fast as chapter 2 was but it won't be more than a day or so. I look forward to hearing from you ; )**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow there is so many people subscribing! That's awesome, thanks everyone! Here's another chapter for ya ; )**

...

Elena's head whipped towards the window. She then turned and ran into the house at full speed. Damon followed, getting to the TV before she did. A reporter, male this time; was standing in front of a line of police tape; clearly a crime scene. "...Yes it has been a devastating day so far for locals after the early morning discovery of 15 bodies inside the home. Police are not releasing any details of the deaths yet but they have confirmed that they are on the lookout for what may be a large bear or wolf. Officials are cautioning everyone in the area to stay inside their homes and to call 911 if an animal is spotted."

So this was it: The moment they had both been waiting for but wished would never come. Damon had tried to track Stefen and Klaus out of Mystic Falls but they had left no trace behind. He knew that until they killed, he wouldn't be able to narrow down the millions of places they could be. Elena understood this; she knew that they needed a trail to follow, even if it was a trail of blood. However, this didn't stop her from feeling sick as faces of the victims started to appear on the screen. How much blood would have to be spilt? How many innocent lives would have to be taken? How many trails of bodies would they have to follow before they found Stefen?

They stood silent as each absorbed the impact of this discovery. "Maybe it wasn't them. When Stefens off the wagon, he's not careful. He's not thinking of covering his tracks, just of finding more bodies to drain. If it looked like an animal attack..." Damon stopped, considering his words. He could try to deny it all he wanted but with Klaus's werewolf side unleashed, it was likely their victims did look...mauled.

At that moment, reality set in for Elena. She thought she had been prepared for this day but now that it had finally arrived, she realized she wasn't. As the first tremor of a very real panic attack overtook her; she felt something: the only thing that could reach her in this endless moment. Damon's hand had closed over hers gently, offering nothing but comfort. Everything became too overwhelming suddenly and she let out a sob, dropping to her knees.

Damon was there instantly to catch her. She buried her head in his chest as she cried, grateful for the first time to have him so close. He brushed her hair away from her face slowly, all the while whispering "shhhhhh," to calm her down. They stayed like this, unmoving until they heard a soft knock on the front door.

"Elena? Damon?" Bonnie's faint voice could be heard from behind the thick door. Elena sniffed, pulling back to look at Damon's now tear soaked shirt.

"I got your shirt all wet." She sniffed.

Damon would never get used to her face; especially this close. Even tear stained and puffy, she was perfect. He was finding it hard to focus as he watched her lips try to create words around her laboured breathing. It was happening again; he was getting too caught up in the moment. Things were too intense. Lighten the mood: he thought. This was his default when feelings were on the line. "This shirt is Marc Jacobs. Dick move."

She laughed; briefly getting caught up in his smile. He was just what she needed in times like these. Elena didn't like to show her weak side. If she needed to cry, she did it in the privacy of her own room; curtains shut, door locked. She had been with Stefen just a little under a year and it was very rare for even HIM to see her in this state. But with Damon it was different. She knew deep down inside that Damon's love for her wasn't a product of her strength, or of her ability to keep him at peace with himself; not like Stefen's was. In fact, it was the opposite: a product of her weaknesses, her vulnerability and most of all, her humanity.

There was another knock. Damon slowly stood up, bringing Elena with him. He gestured towards the couch whispering, "I'll handle this." As he strode to get the door, Elena sat on the loveseat, using the reflection of the window behind her to wipe away the mess of mascara pooled under her eyes. She could hear low voices in the hallway.

"Where's Elena? I want to talk to her." Bonnie seemed irritated.

"ELENA is in the living room...but she's relaxing in the buff, so you can't go in there right now. Isn't that right Elena?" She snickered, picturing his snide expression as he created a visual for himself. She jumped off the couch, deciding that her face was about as good as it was going to get. When she rounded the corner into the hallway, she could instantly feel the tension rolling off of Bonnie. Her stance was defensive, her face serious despite Damon's sarcasm.

"There's something wrong in this house." She couldn't have been more accurate.

"Yeah, tell us something we don't know. Jeremy's practically basking in it up there."Damon replied. He could tell that now was not the time to keep it light. Despite his joking, he could feel it. It had gotten worse since they left the room.

Bonnie started walking slowly up the stairs, weary of what she would find. When she reached the top, she started to feel an unnerving chill. As she neared Jeremy's room the chill got worse until she realized it was coming from underneath his door. "Jeremy?" She tried the door. It was locked now. "Jer, its Bonnie. Please let me in. We're...we're all worried about you." Nothing. Complete silence.

Damon sighed. She was wasting time "Why don't you just unlock it yourself?"

"Damon's right Bonnie; don't you have a spell for that?" Elena chimed in. Bonnie turned, practically forgetting she was there.

"Of course I do; but I would rather him let us in of his own accord. It's pretty sad when you have to use a spell just to get into your own boyfriend's room..." A muffled groan interrupted her. It was coming from inside the room. "Was that Jeremy?"She turned to Damon, a shocked look on her face.

Damon listened closely. Whatever it was, it wasn't coming from Jeremy. It was the sound old houses made when their foundations were giving out. But this house was practically brand new. Elena's parents had built it when they decided to start a family. "It's coming from the house." He whispered.

The three of them stood in the hallway, looking around. The sound wasn't just coming from Jeremy's room now; it was coming from all around them.

"Okay, I've had enough."Damon spat. He corrected his stance, ready to break the door down when Jeremy whipped it open. The groaning of the house stopped immediately.

"Jesus you all just don't quit, do you?" He was still ghostly pale. "I told you I wanted some privacy. Can't you just let me be?"

Bonnie was taken aback by this. "Jer, can I come in?" When he didn't respond, she took his hand; walking into his room anyway. He followed, seemingly in a trance. She turned and made eye contact with Elena. "I got this," she mouthed, and with that, she closed the door.

"That was weird." Damon said, still looking at the door. He then turned to Elena, reading her face. She was an open book to him. Her worry was evident on her face. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go downstairs and talk."

She nodded, not even hesitating. She was ready to get off this floor and downstairs where she could tackle an issue she understood. Damon descended the stairs, and like a moth to a flame; she followed.

...

"What do you want to do?" They were sitting on the couch now, content to leave whatever was happening upstairs in Bonnie's hands. Damon was facing Elena, his elbows on his knees as he asked this.

"I don't know, what do you think is best?" Elena responded. Her head was swimming. The morning had been full of grisly discoveries and heartbreak. She slowly realized that once again, she was letting everything get in the way of her own needs. She wasn't hungry anymore but she could use a drink for sure.

Almost as if he had read her mind, Damon stood. As he walked into the kitchen he spoke over his shoulder. "It's not about what I think is best Elena. It's about what you want to do. I will go after Stefen whether you come with me or not but I need to know that if you stay, you're not going to have a complete meltdown." With the sacrifice ritual over, he was confident that no one else hell bent on spilling doppelganger blood would be passing through Mystic Falls anytime soon. However, the only danger Elena was facing now came from herself. He feared for her sanity when she wasn't involved in things. She was a true martyr, and in true martyr fashion, he knew she would do something incredibly stupid if left by her lonesome.

"Fine, you want to know what I think is best?" He was at the fridge now, peering in. "I think you should come with me." Orange juice or milk? A+ or B-? Though the comparison was silly, the textures were on par with each other.

"Milk please. It'll tie me over till lunch." She said with a smile. He looked back at her, surprised by her decision. He was about to reach for the juice. "I want to come with you. I want to be there when you find him. But now, with this Jeremy thing, I really don't know who needs me more."

Jeremy needed Bonnie. And as for Damon; he needed Elena more than he cared to admit. "Well, I could use some company on the trip. And I wouldn't worry about Jeremy now that Bonnie is aware of what's going on. If she needs help, I'm sure she'll enlist Tyler and Caroline. I know Rick is kickin' around here somewhere too. He has a support system Elena; better yet, he has a support system made up of supernatural entities. He is the safest kid in town. And I KNOW the witch is on top of things." He said with a grin. "In more ways than one."

"So it's decided then. I'll go with you." She found this easier to accept than she thought she would. She had been prepared for this step. Her bags had been packed; ready to go since Stefen disappeared. Elena knew Damon was right about Jeremy. As hard as it was for her to admit sometimes, she was only human; the weakest link in a circle of powerful beings. Jeremy needed her like he needed a Barbie. She was practically dead weight.

Damon sauntered over, handing her a glass of milk. He plopped down on the couch, happy with her decision. "I think it may be time for a road trip."

...

**YAY. Everyone loves a road trip! Especially a Delena road trip. If you haven't figured this out by now, I am clearly a Delena shipper. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy Stefen's character and plan to play with it a bit but I feel it's time for Damon to get some love. Do you agree? **

**Please review *bats eyelashes* **


	4. Chapter 4

**Here we go ppl! Chapter 4 is up. I made a minor spelling change that I hope doesn't throw anyone off. A reader politely informed me that I've been spelling "Stefen's" name wrong this whole time. So it is now spelled right. Oops! Oh well, enjoy chapter 4!**

...

About an hour later, Bonnie appeared in the hallway with Jeremy behind her. "So I think it would be best if we all spent some time away from the house. I called Caroline and Tyler; they said they'll meet us at the grill. You guys down?"

Elena and Damon had spent the past hour hashing out a plan of attack. They had mutually agreed that it would be best for them to leave the next morning. Damon decided a compromise was in order. If he was going to take Elena away from the happenings in Mystic Falls, then he should at least give her time to tie up loose ends. After all, neither of them knew how long they would be gone or how far their search would take them. What neither of them could agree on was how to break it to the gang. With Jeremy practically comatose, they couldn't figure out a way to round everyone up without initiating panic. After all, when a group meeting was called, it usually meant something was going down. However, Bonnie had provided them with an opportunity. Though Jeremy didn't look himself, he was up and put together. A meeting at the grill was just what they needed to break the ice.

"We're down Snoop Dogg. Meet you there?" Damon picked up his jacket which he had laid on top of Elena's sweater.

"I'll call Ric too... Though I'm sure he's already there, if not half in the bag already." Elena was sure he would appreciate being kept in the loop. Since Jenna's death, he had spent every waking hour at the grill, drowning his sorrows in Whiskey.

"Hey if you guys get there first, can you get the booth at the back; away from the windows?" This was the first time Jeremy had spoken. They all turned to him with on odd look on their faces. "I have a headache, that's why I had my curtains closed." They continued to stare, taken aback by his odd request. They always sat at the same table, near the middle of the restaurant.

"Okay Dracula. If you say so; but if we're going to sit on the dungeon half you have to put your hood down. You're starting to look like your old self. I hated that little shit..." Damon stopped himself. There was no need to go there but all of the sudden he was seeing red.

"Jesus Damon, settle down. What's wrong with you?" Elena couldn't make sense of his comment. It was completely opposite to the way had been acting all morning.

Damon looked at the floor, unable to explain himself. It was something only vampires could understand. He needed blood, human blood. And not from a bag this time, he needed it from the vain. He had been denying his instincts for so long now, it was making him irritable. All of the sudden he felt antsy; ready to leave. "I'll meet you in the car Elena."

He walked past Bonnie and Jeremy towards the door. Bonnie was staring daggers at him, her attention at high alert. Jeremy was completely oblivious to the exchange that just took place. Instead, he was staring into the kitchen; where Anna was swivelling back and forth on a chair pulled up to the center island. She blew him a kiss before she let out an ear piercing scream; engulfing in flames and then vanishing all together.

...

Damon and Elena arrived at the grill shortly after Caroline and Tyler. Damon led them through the maze of people, past Caroline and Tyler who were sitting at their regular table; towards to back of the grill.

"Back here guys." He called over his shoulder to them. "Nosferatu wants to sit in the dark because the sun gives him a headache."

As Damon shimmied into the booth, Elena grabbed him by the arm. "Look, I don't know what your problem is all of the sudden but take it easy. We don't even know what's wrong with him and it's unfair for you of all people to tease him about being sensitive to light." She scolded under her breath.

This shut Damon up fast. He had seen the assertive side of Elena, found it comedic even at times but this was different. When she was defending her loved ones, she was a force to be reckoned with, and even he admitted he was being a bit of a dick.

"Ew. Vampires can get headaches too? I have been staked, sprayed in the face with vervain, hell; I've been shot point blank in the head but I have yet to experience a self occurring headache." Caroline was slipping into the booth now with Tyler behind her. "Please tell me it's an old age thing because I have a LONG ways to go before I get to where YOU are."

"Damon's not the one with a headache Caroline, it's Jeremy." Elena replied. Caroline looked relieved.

"Well good! So it is still a human thing..."

"Speak of the devil. Hey guys, over here!" Tyler waved across the bar to Bonnie and Jeremy.

Bonnie walked towards the table, Jeremy behind her. She scanned the bar, looking for any sign of Alaric. "Elena, did you call Ric? I can't see him up there anywhere."

"Yeah I called him in the car, he didn't answer. Maybe he's sleeping; he probably had a late night." As she said this, her stomach growled loudly. Everyone turned to her except Jeremy, who was watching his surroundings intently. "Well that's attractive," she joked, looking around for a menu.

"Let's get lunch." Damon smirked. He would give anything to feel hunger that way again. Instead, he had to put up with a consuming fury every time his cravings kicked in. He looked around the grill now, assessing his surroundings. Teenager, Teenager, Matt (off limits according to Caroline), teenager, Ms. Lockewood, cute waitress, washed up drunk guy at the bar...his gaze flickered back to the waitress. She made eye contact with him, flirting with an unknown danger.

"DAMON!" Elena repeated for the third time. His head whipped around the face her. His eyes were bloodshot, his gaze intimidating. Caroline, understanding what was happening immediately interrupted:

"Damon," When he didn't look at her she said it louder. "DAMON." When his eyes flickered to hers she continued, "Elena was just asking if you'd share some mozza sticks with her."

He slowed his breathing, absorbing the question. He could feel the blood draining from his eyes. How far had he let himself get this time? "That's all you're having?" He knew she was hungrier than that.

"No. I just said I was getting the clubhouse, but that I wanted mozza sticks too. I can't eat both, not by myself." What was going on with him? He had looked terrifying. His face reminded her of that night, weeks ago when he had bitten her. She had forgiven him but that didn't stop Damon from looking much more intense and dangerous than Stefan did during the change. It was the stuff her nightmares were made of.

"Yeah. That sounds good actually. Let's do it." He said with a reassuring smile.

...

They spent all day at the Grill. Tyler and Caroline played several games of pool with Damon and Elena. Bonnie had opted out because Jeremy wasn't in the mood to play pool. While she tried to keep Jeremy into the game and the conversation to keep him from being isolated, it proved to be a difficult task. His attention often wandered to other things. He watched people intently, almost as if he were trying to eavesdrop on a private conversation. The rest of them noticed this but didn't understand the change. They didn't see what he was seeing. They didn't hear the voices of the dead whispering secrets meant for only him.

Damon was finding it easier to focus while Caroline was around. It was nice having someone who understood; another vampire. Whenever his attention wandered, she was right there; demanding his full attention so he didn't get caught up in his fantasies of bloodlust.

Elena tried to ignore these little exchanges. There was something unspoken between the two vampires; something she longed to be a part of. She shook her head then, trying to rid herself of the jealousy she was feeling. _The sooner we're on the road, the better, _she thought.She wanted to focus on the task at hand; she wanted to throw herself elbows deep into the search for Stefan. But she had to admit; she was being naive if she thought her developing feelings for Damon would go away. Especially given the large amount of time they were about to spend together. She looked up at Damon, catching his eye.

Neither of them were in any hurry to tell the gang about their plans. They were having fun after all; why spoil it for everyone? Besides, Ric wasn't even there yet. Both of them made a silent pact to wait; at least until they were all together. But then the door opened, revealing a very dishevelled and tired looking Alaric. Damon turned back to Elena. Pact over, it was time.

Without even looking their way, Alaric scanned the wood looking for a place to sit. His eyes settled on a bar stool, furthest away from the door, from everyone. He started towards the stool, oblivious to the gang's watchful stares.

"Excuse me everyone. I will go summon the Saltzman." Putting down his pool cue, Damon sauntered towards where Ric was sitting.

He was all too focussed on the glass of Whiskey that just came his way to notice Damon's arrival. He heard someone sit on the stool next to him, hardly giving any notice until he heard Damon's voice:

"You know, you can lose your teaching licence for this. Everyone has a right to a drink now and then, and everyone has the right to have a breakdown now and then. But to combine those two things AND put it on display in such a public place? Ric...now you're just playing with fire." Damon knew his tone was mocking, but he needed to get his attention. "I bet, that if you continue on this _very_ fragile path to destruction, you'll lose your job AND possible custody of Jeremy and Elena in no time."

"Fuck off. I don't care what you think or what anyone else in this town thinks." He wasn't surprised Damon knew about him applying for custody. What _didn't_ Damon know? "Just leave me alone please. I would like to bask in my own miserable existence without your company."

"No can do Ric. Elena and I have news, BIG news. We need you to join us down by the pool table. Preferably before the..." He stopped, mid sentence. He watched across the bar as Andy Star walked into the Grill.

_Perfect_, he thought. This is exactly what he needed.

...

**OH damn. Ric dropped an F bomb. I am aware this would never happen in the show but I think Ric is entitled to a bit of foul language. Losing his Isobel and now Jenna too is taking a toll on him. **

**Something intense is about to happen between Damon and Andy. You'll find out soon. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I love having the control!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry this one took so long guys. I've been super busy with work, but I'm on a roll this time so the chapters should be pouring out of me now! Enjoy!**

...

Elena watched Damon approach Alaric, ready to intervene if things got too intense. She was often forced to play mediator when Damon's temper flared. To everyone else, he was a predator; a beast who couldn't be tamed but to her, he was more like a puppy who didn't know his own strength. She seemed to be the only one who could communicate this to others. Sometimes people understood and gave up the fight, but most of the time, they didn't.

From where she stood, she could see the conversation very clearly. Damon was on a sarcastic rampage. She could tell just by watching his eyebrows. Up and down, up and down, left one up while the right stayed down. He must have made his point because his face stayed cocked to the left like he was preparing for a backlash. Ric didn't look too happy. He retorted, practically spitting the words into Damon's face before turning back to his drink.

Damon began to say something else and then he stopped, looking past Ric at something on the other side of the bar. Elena followed his gaze until she saw Andy Star standing by the door. Andy scanned the bar, clearly looking for someone but by this time, Damon had jumped off of his stool and was making a beeline for her. _Oh Shit, _Elena thought. She didn't know the details of Damon's relationship with Andy but she did know that Andy wasn't hanging around anymore. It was no secret that when Damon broke up with a girl, he didn't do it nicely. In fact; Andy was lucky she was still alive.

Andy didn't appear to see Damon until he was practically right in front of her and when she did; Elena could see her stumble backwards in fear. Damon didn't even hesitate; grabbing Andy by the upper arm and practically dragging her out the door.

"No no, shit no!" Elena cursed under her breath; grabbing Caroline's attention. Caroline had watched the whole exchange from the corner of her eye. What was left of her human instincts told her to stop him; to go after him and help Andy, but her vampire side understood: Damon needed this. He had been on edge all day and if he didn't water down that fury growing inside of him, there was going to be an accident.

Elena however, didn't understand this. She didn't care so much about Andy's life, or about protecting anyone else's. Her main concern was protecting Damon from himself. There always seemed to be a war raging inside of him. With every victim came more and more fuel for the bad side; the side Elena feared would one day consume him. She didn't even stop to think about the dangers to her own life, she just ran after them; determined not to let him do something he might regret.

Caroline watched Elena go. She briefly considered going after her to stop her from seeing what was happening just around back, but she decided against it. _This is what she needs,_ Caroline thought. _She'll never understand unless she sees it for herself. _And without a second thought, she turned back to the pool table, deciding to intervene when the time was right

Elena, outside now, had to stop to let her eyes adjust to the darkness around her. The sun had gone down hours ago and it must've been a particularly cloudy night because the sky was pitch black. There was a small crowd of people outside smoking. Elena approached them, unsure of who to ask.

"Has anyone seen Damo..." She stopped. These guys only looked vaguely familiar, clearly from the area though not from right in town. They wouldn't recognize Damon by name. "Andy...Andy star. Has anyone seen her?"

"The news lady?" the guy standing closest to her asked. She nodded, hoping he could point her in the right direction. He shook his head and shrugged; clearly he couldn't help her. "Not since this morning...on the news." They all erupted in laughter. _If only they knew_ she thought.

She scanned the parking lot, looking for a clue of some kind as to where they might have gone. Andy's little red Honda was still in the parking lot; Elena recognized it from the many times she'd seen it at the boarding house. She approached it slowly; afraid of what she might find inside. A strange mixture of relief and disappointment came over her as she peered through the windows, seeing nobody.

Elena scanned the lot from this new perspective, still seeing nothing. She was about to head back inside to recruit Caroline when she saw a flash of white rounding the corner of the Grill. It was Jason Anders from school. He was dressed in a white cook's uniform, the kind they wore in the kitchen at the Grill. He was clearly out of his element; stumbling around seemingly without a purpose.

"Jason! Over here!" Elena called to him. He glanced over, seeing her now.

"Hey Elena. How's your summer going so far? I haven't seen you since school got out." He met her half way across the lot.

"Well...you know, its going." She said hurriedly. "Hey have you seen Damon at all?" He shook his head; a vacant expression on his face. "Okay, well then what about Andy? Andy Star?"

"No." Still blank. "Neither."

This was not the Jason she knew. In school he was the class clown; he always had a response to everything. Right now he was acting like a robot. Everything suddenly clicked in Elena's mind. His confused expression and the fact that he was out in public with his uniform on told her enough; he had been compelled.

"What are you doing out here Jason? Are you on a break?"

His eyes registered a slight recognition. "Yeah...I'm on a break. I was smoking on the back step but then I came around front because...I'm not supposed to be smoking back there..." Puzzlement resumed on his face.

"Why aren't you supposed to smoke back there?" Elena knew the answer before it even came out of his mouth.

"I don't know. I just know that I can't." And with that, Elena took off running around the back of the building.

...

Damon had Andy pinned up against the brick wall outside the back door. He tried to keep his face from changing so as not to freak her out, but was a futile effort, considering the position they were in. He held both of her wrists above her head so she couldn't fight while his other hand was clamped around her mouth to keep her from screaming.

"Shhhhhhh Andy. You're good. It's me, Damon. I'm not going to hurt you."

He may not have had himself convinced but Andy slowly started to relax. He took his hand from her mouth; allowing her to speak.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore. You told me you would kill me if I didn't leave. So I did." _Oh, you sweet, stupid girl _he thought to himself. Of all the toys or "distractions" he had in his long life, Andy was his favourite. She required the least of his efforts to compel, but she also had an iron will that remained intact, even after he had been in her head.

"I was angry. I'm sorry Andy but you need to promise me something..." He stopped to make sure she was paying attention. She was looking up at him with doe eyes, fully alert. "Next time I tell you to do something, whether I compel you or not, just do it," he spat through clenched teeth.

She nodded. I slight smile on her face. "Okay. Does this mean you want me again?"

"Yes Andy, like I want a headache. Now tilt your head for me and relax."

She did as she was told, pulling her hair away and letting it fall down her back. Damon could feel the change coming over his face. There were no words to describe the feeling; especially after going so long without it. His fangs slowly started to protrude, instantly relieving the continuous ache in his gums. He could feel the blood vessels in his eyes start to swim; reacting to the sudden rush of blood to his head. It only took a moment but he savoured every last bit of it. He opened his mouth, pulling his lips back over his teeth, enjoying the stretch in his jaw. Then he struck; sinking his fangs into the column of Andy's delicate neck.

It was then that Elena rounded the second corner, softly panting from a sudden rush of adrenaline. She stopped right in her tracks when she found what she sought. She had expected to see Andy's lifeless body on the ground, already drained with Damon standing over it. What she found instead caught her off guard. She didn't expect to witness such an intimate moment between the two. More importantly, she didn't expect how it would make her feel.

Elena slowly tiptoed back around the corner, suddenly feeling like she was intruding on something very personal. The way Andy's arms were wrapped around Damon, her hands running through his hair; the way her legs were tangled with his. The very _proximity _of their bodies to each other would have given any outsider the impression that they were locked in a sensual embrace, not a feeding frenzy.

She continued to watch as Damon's hand came down and wrapped around Andy's waist, allowing him to step closer; which he did. Elena's stomach lurched with butterflies. She had always been disgusted with Damon's feeding habits. Even more so, she was disgusted with the girls who allowed him to feed on them. She could never understand how they put up with the intense pain that was involved in the act. Elena had only experienced it a few times but it had been enough. She would rather slice through her own skin than have another set of fangs sink into her. However, Andy appeared as though she was enjoying herself immensely. Her head was tossed back and she was emitting throaty sighs of what Elena took as pleasure. Suddenly, Elena longed to be in Andy's position. She felt an ache of loneliness when she realized that there was no one around to hold her like that, to illicit those kinds of sounds from her mouth.

One thing Elena noticed was how gentle Damon was being with Andy. He held her body to his now, keeping her upright while he drank. There was nothing feral in his posture; he could have been kissing her neck for all she knew.

Elena heard a small sigh, and Damon's head came up.

"You alright?" He whispered softly to Andy. She nodded her head sleepily, slumping backwards. He caught her, chuckling to himself while slowly lowering her into a sitting position on the ground.

"ELENA. There you are; I've been looking all over for you." Elena's head whipped around to see Caroline walking towards her. "Did you find Damon and Andy?"

Elena looked back towards where Damon was now standing, Andy still on the ground. He had a mortified expression on his face. He clearly did not want Elena to see this side of him.

Caroline rounded the last corner, catching a glimpse of the scene she already knew had played out. "Oh," was all she said. She made eye contact with Damon, who knew he had been busted. _Go _she mouthed, hoping Elena didn't see. He turned right away and disappeared into the night, evoking a short cry from Elena's lips. She looked as though she was going to try and follow him but Caroline put her arm out, stopping Elena from going anywhere.

"Let him go." She said, making eye contact with Elena. She assessed the scene before her. Andy wasn't dead but he had taken a lot of blood, causing her to slump over sleepily. It was nothing a good night's sleep couldn't help. "Elena, listen to me. Go back into the Grill and tell Bonnie and Tyler I'll be right there. I'm going to take care of this and then meet you inside. Deal?"

Elena couldn't take her eyes off of Andy. "I want to be here when she wakes up. I want to talk to her."

"I don't think that's a good idea Elena. Please, don't make this harder than it has to be."

Elena's brow furrowed, like she was considering something she had never thought of. She started backing away reluctantly until she turned and rounded the corner to the front of the Grill. Caroline watched her go. She was glad she had chosen to intervene when she did. If she hadn't, Elena could very well be wandering in the woods behind her; looking for Damon, who was probably back at the boarding house by now.

Caroline walked over to Andy, who was slowly coming to. She knelt down, gently taking Andy's arm and pulling her up.

"Up we go," she whispered softly.

She half carried, half dragged Andy back to her car. She tried to be gentle as she lifted Andy into the front seat. Her head immediately slumped over the steering wheel, barely conscious but still mumbling. Caroline grabbed her underneath the chin and pulled Andy's face towards hers.

"Andy. Andy open your eyes. Open them...there you go. Now look at me." Andy did as she was told, looking at Caroline with a lucid expression. "Forget what happened to you tonight. The last you saw of Damon was back at the boarding house, the night he broke up with you. Tonight you went into the grill and sat at the bar by yourself. You had a bit too much to drink and started feeling queasy, so you came back to your car and took a nap. You're hangover tomorrow will be a doosy but it was worth it, because now you're over Damon. He was an asshole anyways right?" She nodded her head. "And you deserve better than him now don't you?"

"Yes. I deserve better..."

"Good. Now go to sleep Andy. Everything will make sense in the morning."

Andy laid her head back down on the steering wheel. Caroline closed the car door softly. She then walked around the car, making sure all the doors were locked. Satisfied, she turned and walked back into the Grill.

...

**There you be folks. Chapter 5. Chapter 6 will be along shortly...**

**Please Review 8 D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Phew! Sorry that took so long everyone! I'm been pretty sick over the past week and I've been on every type of drug you can think of to subdue it. Something tells me you wouldn't be interested in the ramblings of a doped up crazy person...**

"_**Elemon skipped together in a field of lovely daisies. They were blue daisies, some of them red...but most of them were yellow with neon green petals..." **_

**Yeah...doubtful...**

...

Elena stood beside the door, waiting for Caroline to come back inside. She couldn't stop thinking about what she had just witnessed. Recreating the scene in her mind, she lingered on the details; Damon's hand on Andy's hip, his other cupping her tilted head. He had handled her with such care which surprised Elena; she had always pictured him in a blood fuelled fury, ripping through his victim's flesh like it was paper.

"Elena...ELENA." She turned, seeing a very concerned Caroline. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Well, no. Everything's not okay. But it will be. How's Andy?"

Caroline looked sceptical, like she wasn't buying it. "Andy's fine, she's sleeping in her car. Didn't you hear? She drank a bit too much and had to leave. Her keys are in the glove compartment though so she's safe and sound," she said with a wink.

Elena felt relived. This was one of the few times when a vampire's ability to compel was convenient. _Thank you_, she mouthed; hoping Caroline would catch it. She nodded in understanding before turning and walking back to their group.

"Hey," Bonnie said as they approached. "Is everything okay? Where's Damon?"

Caroline was quick to answer. "Damon is fine, Andy is fine, and everyone is just, fine."

_That's Caroline,_ Elena thought. She was always trying to save the day and blow everything off like it was nothing. Elena however, wasn't so sure it was nothing. Damon had been known to take his fury out on unsuspecting innocents. Who knew where he was, what he was doing...who he was eating..._who_ he was doing...

Elena took herself off guard. She was creating the scene in her mind, but she wasn't disgusted by it like she normally would have been. _What am I thinking? _She thought to herself.

There was a short, awkward silence among the group. It lasted several seconds before Tyler interrupted:

"Caroline, you ready to go home? We've been here pretty much all day." He gestured toward the door, grabbing his jacket.

"Um...actually. Elena's going to drive me home tonight. Right Elena?" she asked.

Elena was too enveloped in her own twisted fantasies to acknowledge the conversation. She was beginning to surprise herself; the scenes she was creating were far more detailed than she thought she was capable of. She was completely caught up in the mental image of Damon's hand shifting lower, and his teeth getting closer...when she felt a sharp jab in her side. She looked up, forgetting where she was for a moment.

"It's totally fine Caroline, I don't have a problem driving you home. I know you're sick of driving me everywhere..." Tyler was continuing.

Elena's gaze flickered to Caroline, whose face was cocked to the left; looking into her eyes with a penetrating gaze. _Is she trying to compel me? _Elena thought to herself. She regretted that thought almost as soon as it crossed her mind. Elena was in the real world right now, where best friends could communicate with just one glance. She knew better; she had to stop herself from jumping to supernatural conclusions.

"Its fine Tyler, Elena said she would drive me home." Caroline politely said.

Elena quickly picked up the jist of the conversation. "Actually Caroline, I'm feeling pretty tired. Would you mind grabbing a ride with Tyler?"

She watched as Caroline's gaze turned slightly irritated. The expression vanished suddenly, turning pleading. "It'll only take a few extra minutes. It's barely out of the way."

Elena thought this over. It was very much out of the way...if she was going straight home. However, if Elena was headed to the boarding house, Caroline's house was just across the bridge. She quickly caught on to her friend's train of thought.

"Yeah, sure. You ready now?"

...

After organizing a ride for Jeremy and saying a quick goodbye to Ric; Elena and Caroline were on their way; Elena completely forgetting the original purpose for the gathering.

It was raining, like most days this time of year, and Caroline was staring at the surrounding trees in wonder.

"You know, it's strange how many different reflections you can catch in raindrops if you look hard enough. I didn't appreciate any of those things near enough when I was human..." She was clearly in a reminiscing mood, which was making Elena grow increasingly impatient. She had clearly been under the wrong impression when she thought Caroline wanted to help her out with Damon. She wanted to hear her friend's view on things preferably_ before_ the impending blowout.

Elena slowed just before the bridge, signalling her right turn into the driveway that lead up to the boarding house.

Caroline's was immediately alert. "Wait...where are you going?"

"Caroline, I'm going to the boarding house; to deal with Damon. You were right back at the grill, I need to deal with him sooner rather than later."

"Hang on, I didn't say that...don't get me wrong, I agree!" She started back peddling. She wanted to talk to Elena about what had taken place but she didn't want to be PART of that confrontation. It was for them to sort out; she just wanted to make everything a little bit easier for Elena to understand. "But you're going to have to deal with Damon on your own. He'll just get pissy if I'm there!"

Elena had come to a full stop just before the drive way. She looked at her friend incredulously. "Seriously?"

When Caroline didn't respond, Elena sighed and pulled back onto the highway. _Fantastic, _she thought to herself. _Clearly mis-led. _

Both girls were silent as the car approached Caroline's house. Caroline was trying to think of ways to approach the subject without putting Elena on the defence, while Elena was trying to think of ways around having to confront Damon on her own. As soon as the car came to a full stop, Caroline reached out and grabbed the keys from the ignition.

"Caroline, what the hell! What part of TIRED don't you understand?" Elena's impatience had begun to boil over.

"Elena just...hear me out for a sec." Caroline interrupted.

_Sure, NOW she wants to talk. _Elena glared at her friend, managing to forget what Caroline was and what she could do. "What."

"I'm on Damon's side on this one. I just want you to know that. I know you, and I know what you're thinking. I know that you're disgusted, and angry, and that you're concerned for Andy and that you could just drive a stake through Damon for what he did tonight but...you need to know that given the situation he was in, he picked the best option for everyone." Caroline slowly watched Elena's face evolve from irritation to an expression she couldn't read. She almost looked thoughtful. Maybe her words were having an effect after all.

"Vampires and humans experience hunger and cravings in a similar, but at the same time very different way. I know you get irritable when you're hungry." Elena couldn't argue that. "Well, so do we. Only, when we get irritable; it threatens to boil over into full fledged rage. We get violent Elena. And there's no telling what could happen if we don't find a way to subdue it. I know this because I've felt it."

Elena studied Caroline. So this was her reason for wanting to be alone: She felt she needed to plead Damon's case because...because why?

"Why are you telling me this?"

Caroline was relieved at Elena's response. Confusion was a hell of a lot better than refusal. "Because Damon is beating himself up enough for the both of you. I thought he handled himself very discreetly tonight and the last thing you need to do is go over to the boarding house, guns ablaze, ready to pick a fight. If anything, he deserves your praise..." _no, praise is the wrong word_..." or, scratch that...he deserves your understanding. Things could have been a lot worse."

Elena looked at Caroline in a new light. She had never seen her friend's new affinity for blood in a positive light; she had always seen it as a curse. Like, she was just one more person in her life to remind her that things were different, that they would never be the same again. She absorbed her friend's words of wisdom appreciatively, slowly developing a new perspective for things. There was only one thing that didn't make sense...

"Caroline, I don't understand. He fed this morning, on a blood bag. I watched him. How could he be that hungry already? Hungry enough to experience the anger you described?"

"Well, like I said before, it's not just hunger we experience with that much intensity, its cravings too."

Elena couldn't make sense of it. What could you possibly crave when all your diet consisted of was blood? "Do you mean like, animal blood versus human blood? Because I've never known Damon to crave animal blood and I'm pretty sure that what he had this morning was human..."

Caroline was already shaking her head before Elena was finished. She looked around, praying for a comparison that would make Elena understand. Her eyes fell on an old crab-apple tree that had been in her yard since she was little. _There it is, _she thought.

"Okay Elena, just hear me out for a second. Say, your favourite food was apples...and everyday you went out and picked an apple fresh from a tree." The understanding was slowly starting to fade from Elena's eyes. "I'm losing you aren't I?"

"A bit...yeah..." _What do apples have to do with any of this? _Elena thought.

"Okay well...just listen to me! Your favourite thing about eating apples was that juicy, crisp _crunch _you experienced when you bit into one. Yeah?"

"Sure, Caroline."

"Okay good! Now say one day, someone came along and told you that you couldn't...or rather, that it was _better _for you to put those apples in a blender and...and drink them. No more juicy spray, no more satisfying crunch...no more picking. Wouldn't you get sick of drinking apple juice eventually? Wouldn't you crave the experience of _hunting _that apple down and _biting_ into its delicious skin?"

Elena's face was blank as she registered this. As silly as the comparison was, it actually made a lot of sense to her. She considered what it would be like to go a life time trying to deny herself the very substance she existed for. _Apples, _she thought to herself. _It makes so much sense. _

Caroline braced herself for her friend's rebuff. It was no secret that Elena was beyond understanding. If she had anything, she had morals; and she wasn't one to abandon those morals in an attempt to adopt a new perspective. But Elena surprised her by letting out a sharp chortle, before erupting into full fledged laughter.

Caroline's relief was evident on her face as she broke into a smile. "I know it's kind of a ridiculous comparison but, there really is no better way to put it."

"It's not ridiculous Caroline; it's actually kind of perfect." Elena managed to get out around the last few chuckles of her fit. When she was done, both girls sat in silence for a moment, both deep in thought. Caroline was the first to break the silence:

"So you're good right? I mean, you're not going to freak out on Damon when you get back?"

"No Caroline, I never intended to do that. I just...it's hard for me. All of this is so unnatural. It's hard to remain the only sane, reasonable human being when you're surrounded by supernaturals." Elena paused, considering asking the question that weighed heaviest on her mind.

"I know Elena, but...luckily, you're not alone. We want you to understand, to accept us. There will never be any shortage of supernatural beings to answer your questions." Caroline smiled, satisfied with herself. She turned to open the door, finally confident that she was leaving Elena with enough faith for a civil conversation with Damon.

"Caroline, wait." She paused, one leg out of the SUV. Clearly, they weren't finished yet.

Elena watched as Caroline pulled herself back inside the car. They faced each other now.

"What is it?" Caroline whispered, surprised by the sudden intensity in the car. Elena's face was dead pan, a serious question lingering on her tongue.

"When Damon was...when he had Andy. When he was _biting _her; she looked..." Elena struggled with the right words. "...she almost looked like she was enjoying it."

"Yeah, and?"

"Is that because Damon compelled her? Because I've only been bitten a handful of times and it hurt. It hurt so bad, I just can't understand what would make her enjoy something like that."

Caroline's face fell. It started to dawn on her why Elena carried such animosity towards the act. She had no idea what it was like to be truly intimate with a vampire. _That's impossible, _Caroline thought. She and Stefan had been together for almost a year. "Hang on Elena, has Stefan never...bit you during sex?"

"What! No! Why would he?" Elena gaped; seemingly appalled by the question.

_Holy shit, _Caroline couldn't believe it. Of all the intimate moments Elena and Stefan must have experienced, never once did he show her the best part of having a vampire for a boyfriend. Caroline was temporarily stunned by this revelation. _She may as well be a virgin..._

"Caroline, c'mon; say something. Please don't leave me hanging here..."

"I'm sorry, but I'm shocked." Caroline watched as Elena's face turned embarrassed. She dropped her gaze to the wheel, clearly feeling alone in her ignorance. "Okay Elena, I'm going to try and explain this to you. I'll let you know right now though; there is no human comparison for you to draw from."

Elena nodded. She tried to open her mind as far as she could. _This _was something she needed, desperately to understand.

"I'm sorry, Stefan should be the one explaining this to you given the fact that he's...you know...you're lover and all but, he's not here right now. It's really something that needs to be experienced." _Here we go,_ Caroline thought. "When a vampire feeds off of a human for pure nourishment, it can be pretty...unpleasant. But if you're with someone you trust, whether they've compelled you to trust them or not, it can be kind of...arousing." Caroline knew this from experience. The first time Damon had bit her, she was terrified. There was no warning, no comfort, just intense pain. She had been sure that he was going to kill her. The second time however, was a very different experience. Caroline wasn't a fool, she knew Damon had only comforted her because he wanted to use her but nonetheless, she had trusted him. He explained his motivations clearly, holding nothing back, not even the fact that he intended on killing her eventually. She was certain of one thing and one thing only, that she trusted him. She knew nothing other than that she was safe for the time being. So when he sunk his fangs into her neck, her worries vanished and she gave herself over to her senses.

"It's almost as though you're sharing a sixth sense..." She continued, struggling to remember her experiences. "There's this, unspoken connection between you that makes it hard to focus. All of your walls come down and your secrets come out. You're not worried about the way you look or the way they view you, you just...feel. It's almost as if you get inside each other's heads, like you can feel what the other person feels, like they're a mirror reflecting your own emotions and doubling them. At that moment, you're about as intimate as you can be with another person Elena."

Elena listened carefully. What Caroline was explaining sounded incredible. In the past year, Elena had never once been free from her secrets. By bringing her into his world, Stefan had forced her into a lifestyle that depended on evasion and lies. She suddenly felt resentful towards him. He had knowingly done this to her, and though he claimed to love her, he didn't even inform her that there was a way for her to experience a few moments of temporary, secret free bliss.

"So, basically...all this time I've been missing a crucial part of our relationship, and I haven't even known."

Caroline hesitated. She knew she was treading on delicate ground. "I think the only reason Stefan would have kept this from you is because he's not capable of giving it to you. He can't control the frenzy that starts within himself when blood is spilled, which is probably why he never even tried. I'm sure he only kept it from you to keep you from getting hurt."

"But it seems so selfish for him to keep this from me when it's something we could have used. This could have brought us closer Caroline. And besides, he's been taking blood from me for a while; he just hasn't been biting me."

"He has?"

"Yes! He has! He's watched me prick my finger everyday for the past few months and never once did he think to inform me there was an easier way. A less painful way." Elena was furious now. She couldn't believe how selfish he'd been, whether it was to keep her safe or not. "I've made so many sacrifices for him. I've given up everything, including my self-respect to make sure he wasn't alone in his battle. He's given me nothing; all he's done is take from me Caroline!"

Caroline leaned over to embrace Elena, who was starting to become hysterical. "Shhhhh," she whispered. "I'm sure there's more to it Elena. You need to find him, and get the answers from him yourself. There has to be more to his side of things."

Elena pulled back to look at Caroline, suddenly remembering her purpose for being at the grill in the first place. "I totally forgot. The whole reason Damon and I were at the grill tonight was to talk to everyone about..." she paused, taking a deep breath in.

"About what?" Elena just looked at her, unable to continue. Something in Caroline's mind clicked, like something she'd long been expecting was finally about to happen. "You're going to find him, aren't you? You and Damon, alone."

Elena could only nod. She knew that if any of her friends could understand why they wanted to do this alone, it would be Caroline. The girl may be blond, but she was the furthest thing from daft Elena could think of. "I'm sorry Caroline."

"It's fine. I get it. And so will Bonnie and the rest of them with time. Just please promise me you'll be careful."

Elena smiled; of course she would be careful. And after tonight's revelations, she would make sure to be efficient. She was ready to confront Stefan, and the day couldn't come soon enough. "I promise."

"Okay good. Keep your phone on, I'll keep you posted on what's happening here." With one last squeeze, Caroline opened to car door and stepped out into the rain, which had become a light drizzle.

"I will, and hey..." Caroline turned. "...could you, maybe...tell the others. Explain why Damon and I need to do this alone? They won't understand right away."

Caroline winked. "For sure Elena. I'm sorry you'll miss me trying to come up with some sort of apple analogy for that one." And with a wave, she turned and walked towards the house.

Elena snickered. She felt different, more resolved. She reached down towards to ignition, feeling around for her keys which, thanks to Caroline's stealth had been replaced. As she backed out of the driveway, the rain stopped and the sky started to clear. It amazed Elena how quickly things had changed over the course of the day. She felt like a completely different person, with a new purpose and a new perspective. As the sky cleared and the stars became visible, Elena set out on the main road towards the Salvatore mansion.

...

**What do ya think? Huh? HUH? Tips would be helpful guys! I need to know that I didn't lose the story after my break. **

**And it would be super cool to hear what you guys think will happen next between Damon and Elena... **


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